# NTSB LAX98GA029: Cessna 182R, N2043E, Markleeville, CA, November 3, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report - Date: November 3, 1997, 11:43 local (19:43 UTC) - Place: Markleeville, CA - Coordinates: 38.72903, -119.840522 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7290&lon=-119.8405&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal, 1 serious - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29960 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98GA029 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29960/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=29960 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98GA029 ## Probable cause the pilot-passenger's failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed to avoid collision with terrain, and the pilot-in-command's diverted attention and failure to recognize a deteriorating situation in time to effect a safe recovery. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - airspeed - low, pilot passenger (contributing factor) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot passenger (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The aircraft impacted mountainous terrain while on a Civil Air Patrol search mission. The surviving passenger stated that the pilot-in-command allowed the front seat observer, who was a pilot, to fly the aircraft while the pilot-in-command scanned terrain to the left of the flight path. The observer/pilot allowed the aircraft to get too low and too slow for the altitude and terrain conditions, and the pilot-in-command was unable to takeover in time to prevent impact with a pine tree which caused the aircraft to nose down into the ground. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 3, 1997, at 1143 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182R, N2043E, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain approximately 19 statute miles south of Markleeville, California. The pilot and one observer were fatally injured and a second observer was seriously burned. The flight departed Carson City, Nevada, on a local Civil Air Patrol search mission as a U.S. Air Force Auxiliary aircraft. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan had been filed. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot was a retired United Airlines captain and held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single and multiengine land, instrument-airplane and helicopter, and certified flight instructor ratings. He also held a valid first-class medical certificate with a restriction to wear corrective lenses while piloting an aircraft. He had flown a total of 19,480 hours in all types of aircraft with 30 hours in the previous 90 days. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records indicated that the aircraft was a 1982 model Cessna 182R powered by a 230 horsepower Teledyne-Continental engine, model O-470U. The aircraft logbook indicated a total flight time of 6,062 hours. The engine log indicated that the engine had a total of 1,093 hours since new. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION At the time of the accident, a high pressure system was dominant over the central Sierra Nevada mountains with visibility in excess of 30 miles, and thin/broken-to-scattered cloud formations at 8,000 feet agl. The free air temperature and dew point were 63 and 27 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The wind was from 190 degrees magnetic at 6 knots, and the altimeter setting was 30.35 inches of mercury. The density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be approximately 10,600 feet msl. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The aircraft was found at a GPS indicated altitude of 8,896 feet msl on the south side of a box canyon that ran upslope from east to west. Although ground scars indicated that the aircraft impacted the ground on a magnetic heading of approximately 060 degrees, initial tree scars indicated that the original flight path had been somewhere between 240 and 280 degrees magnetic. Tree and ground scars, plus aircraft damage, indicated that the aircraft was in a steep nose-down and partially inverted attitude at final impact. The tail section and main fuselage had come to rest at the foot of several pine trees with the engine laying 15 feet further along the final flight path. The left wing was immediately adjacent to the fuselage and the right wing 10 feet forward and left of the final impact point. The aircraft had clipped a tree 30 feet agl 50 feet prior to impact with the ground. There was charred underbrush surrounding the wreckage with a variable burn radius of 30 to 50 feet. The aircraft throttle was found in the full open position, the mixture control in a mid position between full rich and idle cutoff, and the propeller governor in the high rpm (low pitch) position. The propeller had separated from the engine crankshaft flange and was found adjacent to the engine. There was no evidence of impact damage on one of the prop blades, while the other had a 10-degree forward bend 8 inches inboard from the tip and chordwise lacerations in the quarter span area on the noncambered side of the blade. The engine and magnetos were extensively burned and it was not possible to verify cylinder compression or the state of the ignition system. The engine exhaust muffler was recovered and neither baffle distortion nor other internal restrictions to flow were found. The aircraft control cables between the cockpit and the tail surfaces were found intact, but the aileron and wing flap control systems were destroyed. The wing flaps were faired with the wing and the pitch trim tab was in a slightly nose-down trim position. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION The Alpine County Coroner's office performed toxicological tests on the pilot and found negative results for carbon monoxide, alcohol, and pertinent drugs. TEST AND RESEARCH INFORMATION On January 8, 1998, the aircraft engine underwent a teardown inspection at the Continental Engine Facility in Mobile, Alabama. The FAA inspector who witnessed that inspection stated that no evidence was found of internal failure, excessively worn parts, or an incorrect assembly. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The rear seat observer survived the accident and provided a verbal account of the accident to the Alpine County Sheriff. He stated that the front seat observer, who was a pilot but not a designated copilot, was flying the aircraft to allow the pilot to scan terrain to the left of the flight path. As they proceeded up the canyon, it appeared to the rear seat observer that the front seat observer allowed the aircraft to get too close to the ground at too low an airspeed for the density altitude and terrain conditions. He also stated that the aircraft commander noticed this and took over the controls, but was unable to prevent the aircraft from striking a tree after which it cartwheeled to the left into the ground. Subsequent to the onsite investigation, the aircraft engine was released for crating and shipment to Mobile. The rest of the aircraft wreckage was released to the senior Civil Air Patrol representative on site for transport to their hanger at Stead Field in Reno, Nevada. The engine was returned to Stead Field following completion of the teardown inspection. . . ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2043E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2043E-2013-06-14), registration cancelled 2013-06-14, S/N 18268184, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182R - Registry model: [Cessna 182R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182r) (registry code 2072731) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18268184 - Airframe hours: 6062 - Engines: Continental O-470U 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 19, 1997, 102 hours before - Departed: O04, CARSON CITY, NV - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 19,480 total, 105 in this make and model, 12,000 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 6 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KTV, 46 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19971103031709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971103031709A), Nov 3, 1997: Cessna 182R, Markleeville, GA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Civil air patrol flight PIC allowed pilot observer to fly too low into canyon and hit a tree. Crashed and burned. ## Docket (17 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 7, 1998, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=29960. 2.9 MB in all. - Supplement A (item 1, .PDF, 246 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083266&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20A-Master.PDF - Supplement B (item 2, .PDF, 370 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083267&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20B-Master.PDF - Supplement K (item 3, .PDF, 420 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20K-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 4, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083269&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Map of Accident Area (item 5, .PDF, 377 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083270&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20of%20Accident%20Area-Master.PDF - Sketch of Wreckage Distribution (item 6, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083271&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Sketch%20of%20Wreckage%20Distribution-Master.PDF - Alpine County Sheriff's Report (item 7, .PDF, 307 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083272&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Alpine%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Report-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 8, .PDF, 398 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40455883&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 9, .PDF, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40455884&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Looking west up canyon toward impact area. (item 10, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083275&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20%20Looking%20west%20up%20canyon%20toward%20impact%20area.-Master.PDF - Photo 2. First point of impact looking back along flight path. (item 11, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083276&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20%20First%20point%20of%20impact%20looking%20back%20along%20flight%20path.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Rudder and elevator control wire continuity. (item 12, .PDF, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083277&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20%20Rudder%20and%20elevator%20control%20wire%20continuity.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Aircraft tail section. (item 13, .PDF, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083278&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20%20Aircraft%20tail%20section.-Master.PDF - Photo 5. Aircraft engine. (item 14, .PDF, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083279&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20%20Aircraft%20engine.-Master.PDF - Photo 6. General crash scene. (item 15, .PDF, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083280&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20%20General%20crash%20scene.-Master.PDF - Photo 7. Undamaged propeller blade. (item 16, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083281&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207.%20%20Undamaged%20propeller%20blade.-Master.PDF - Photo 8. Propeller blade with tip bend and broken flange bolts. (item 17, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40083282&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208.%20%20Propeller%20blade%20with%20tip%20bend%20and%20broken%20flange%20bolts.-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.